Mussels, Blue

Blue Mussels are found in the Arctic, North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, including the U.S. where they are commonly fished in Maine. Blue Mussels grow quickly, and may live for more than 10 years. They become sexually mature in about 1 year, and females can produce 10 million eggs.

The number of Blue Mussels caught in the U.S. varies greatly over time, but their actual abundance is unknown. Maine has many management measures in place and allows individual municipalities to develop their own shellfish management plans.

Blue Mussels are generally fished by drags and dredges, which can cause severely damage bottom habitat, specifically eelgrass beds. However, these fishing methods generally result in little bycatch.